“This weekend’s agreement between SDA, SNSD and HDZ BIH party leaders is welcome” the High Representative and EU Special Representative, Miroslav Lajčák, said today when he met the new United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael Tatham. “The readiness to talk and to compromise is the start point, political party leaders must now deliver legislation that will meet this commitment”.

At their meeting the High Representative/EU Special Representative and the Ambassador reviewed BiH’s progress on the five objectives and two conditions that BiH needs to meet in order for the Peace implementation Council to consider OHR’s closure.

Tangible progress on State property and Brcko’s status remain outstanding from the OHR work plan noted the HR/EUSR. “The authorities in BiH must ensure that the substance of these reforms meets that required by the PIC,” he said.

At the meeting of the EU’s General Affairs and External Relations Council yesterday, EU Foreign Ministers confirmed the country’s European perspective but also expressed worries regarding the recent political developments and divisive and nationalistic rhetoric.

The EC progress report on BiH published last week reflected the same concerns, as did the joint letter sent by Minister Kouchner, representing the French EU Presidency, EU High Representative Solana and Olli Rehn the Commissioner for Enlargement, to the BiH Presidency and State and Entity Prime Ministers.

At today’s meeting with Ambassador Tatham the HR-EUSR welcomed the fact that the EU is focused on BiH. “The EU needs to plan now for a reinforced engagement after OHR’s closure, said Lajčák. “The Solana-Rehn paper, adopted by Foreign Ministers yesterday is a very positive step and a good basis for such a strategy.”